


The Mystery of the Stolen Shirts

by starchaser22



Category: Blue Beetle (Comics), Booster Gold (Comics), DCU, Justice League International (Comics)
Genre: First Kiss, Kinda, M/M, Sharing Clothes, i guess, lunch dates that arent really lunch dates, these dorks are gonna be the death of me i stg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-14 15:35:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16915575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starchaser22/pseuds/starchaser22
Summary: It starts out as an accident. Ted borrows one of Booster's shirts after coming back injured, then conveniently forgets to give it back. The next time isn't as much of an accident.





	The Mystery of the Stolen Shirts

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sitting in my docs FOREVER (as all semidone fics go to collect dust and then die), but with Tom King's Blue and Gold teaser i finished it in celebration because we are FINALLY getting our boys reunited in main continuity!! it's been like over 10 years (where they are both alive lmao) and i am READY for it  
> edit: tom king sucks but at least i wrote this

It starts out, as all things do, an accident.

Ted had been tossed around quite a bit in battle, causing him to feel pretty sore afterwards. He tried to ask Ralph or Guy to help him out of the skin tight prison known as the Blue Beetle costume, but as luck would have it, Booster overheard.

“It’s what best friends are for,” Booster had teased Ted while simultaneously undressing him. It had taken much longer than he would have liked, and he had to physically restrain himself from making inappropriate noises whenever Booster’s knuckles accidentally grazed bare skin, though whether that was from the ache or his undeniable lust for his best friend remained undetermined.

Just when Ted had finally thought it’d be over, Booster took a look at the clothes he was planning to put on, then proceeded to slam dunk them into a nearby trash can.

“Hey!” Ted protested, shooting straight up and immediately wincing back in pain. He whined. “Those are my work clothes.”

Booster rolled his eyes. “Like you don’t have plenty more, Mr. CEO. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

He’d returned five minutes later with a pair of ugly green sweatpants and a grey graphic tee. Ted raised his eyebrows.

“You think I own sweatpants, Teddy? No, this is from Ralph’s stuff.”

Well, at least it was just Ralph, but since Booster hadn’t said anything about the shirt, Ted assumed that meant it was his.

He’d unfolded the sweatpants and dragged them over his ankles, proceeding to pull them up his still sore legs. After settling in that, Ted unfolded the shirt.

Yep, definitely Booster’s.

It may have looked like a generic graphic logo while folded, but it was actually of that Booster Gold cereal ad. The one that flashed on every billboard in Metropolis’s Chinatown (and right outside Ted’s office window) with the words “Booster Gold eats Cereal!” all over it. This version didn’t make Ted’s head hurt as much, but it was somehow just as flashy.

Ted slipped the shirt over his head, groaning as he stretched his shoulders to do so, but he was pleasantly surprised once it was on. Not only did it fit well, if not a little long, but that shirt was _extremely_ soft. He’d never seen Booster wearing it before, but it smelled just like him, and Ted couldn’t help but inhale just a little deeper to savor it.

The next day, he found himself conveniently forgetting the shirt at home (oops), but still washed and returned Ralph’s sweatpants. As for the tee shirt… well, Ted would be damned if anyone ever saw him wearing it, but that doesn’t mean he can’t use it to sleep in from time to time.

The next occurrence, it wasn’t as much of an accident.

When Ted had gone over to Booster’s apartment that afternoon, it had begun as two pals hanging out. Then an end-of-the-world scenario hit the middle of Metropolis.

Trigon’s not really Ted’s thing, per say. Not to imply that any evil masterminds/supervillains are “his thing,” but Blue Beetle would much rather face a tech guy, like Lex Luthor, than the King of Hell. So, with good reason, the Blue and Gold had been placed on crowd control.

Eventually, Zatanna, Constantine, and several other members of the Justice League Dark had moved the battle into some mystical dimension or realm or something.

Too tired to make what seemed like an impossible three block trek south to his apartment, Ted ended up crashing on Booster’s couch. Having nothing but the tight, uncomfortable costume and clothes he’d come in, Booster had offered to lend his friend a shirt. Not wanting to walk around Booster’s apartment in nothing but a pair of tighty whities, Ted graciously accepted.

This one was just a white tee with _Gotham University Nighthawks_ scribbled above a football. Not as bold as the previous, but it was still comfy and smelled like his friend.

“See! It looks great on you,” He’d told Ted, elbowing his arm as he looked him up and down appreciatively.

Ted shifted under the man’s gaze. He cleared his throat and joked, “Maybe I should just take all your clothes.”

Spoiler alert: that’s exactly what he did.

Ted never gave the football t-shirt back, nor did he return the cereal one. In fact, over time, he found himself coming up with more and more excuses to “borrow” one of Booster’s shirts, never to be returned.

Did Booster ever notice? Ted had never seen his closet, but he must’ve had thousands of shirts not too. Either way, neither of them ever brought it up.

It got to the point where half of Ted’s closet was dedicated solely to all of the shirts he’d stolen. The left side consisted of all the bland work shirts, jackets, and the occasional hoodie from his earlier days, while the right side was a colorful array of comfortable shirts all radiating that signature Booster Gold touch.

In fact, there were so many, it was now past the point of sleep wear. Any point where Ted wasn’t out, or where no one he knew could be seeing him, he graciously wore Booster’s shirts.

The local grocery store seemed like somewhere he could wear them, as “no one he knew” would be there. At least, no one other than the tired looking cashier who always checked him out.

“Are you a rewards member?” They drawled, monotone voice going through one ear and out the other.

Ted automatically replied, “No, thank you,” before swiping his card and grabbing his bag of groceries.

The store’s exit had an annoying bell that rung when he walked through it. With how often he visited this store, Ted had pretty much learned to drain it out. What he _did_ hear, however, was someone distantly calling his name.

“Ted! _Ted!”_ Before he realized what he was getting himself into, Ted turned towards the sound of his name.

“Sue?”

Sure enough, Sue Dibny jogged across the street to meet him, waving all the while. “Ralph had to come to Metropolis for an interview with that Kent guy. Was thinking about calling you up, but I didn’t think- _oh.”_

Ted is momentarily confused, so he followed her line of sight to his chest. _Right,_ he’s wearing one of the many shirts with Booster’s face on it. This one says “Be a Hero! Drive a BOOSTERMOBILE!” in huge, bolded letters, with a picture of Booster Gold next to a blue and gold car. It was one of the ones Ted had shamefully plucked out of a dirty laundry basket. It was gross, sure, but it just made it smell all the more like Booster, which was... actually even more gross.

The expression on Sue’s face went from surprised to confused and then to smug. “But I see that you already have company.”

Ted looked back at his shirt, then at Sue again. His voice came out in a high pitched squeak, “ _What?”_

She wiggled her eyebrows, casting a loose “be safe” before turning and walking in the other direction.

 

\----------------------------------

 

It isn’t long before the rumor spreads.

Ted never imagined Sue as one for gossip, but the same couldn’t be said for Ralph, and the two of them were inseparable. Everything Sue knew, Ralph also knew, and vice versa. Soon enough, it spread from Swamp Thing all the way up to Lightray, and everyone in between.

People have always accused the two of them of being together, but this was much more. Before, it had been the occasional teasing comment or a stranger asking them about their “relationship.” It had never bothered either of them too much, but this felt different.

The only man who, God only knows how, didn’t hear, was Booster Gold himself. The two of them would be together, and the amount of teasing that was thrown their direction was endless. Hal would whistle, Batman would grunt, Amanda Waller gave them the side eye; Ted’s pretty sure Deadshot tried to send them _flowers._ All the while, Booster was, or at least _acted,_ oblivious. In other words, Ted was alone in the chaos.

He tried to tell them all, he _really_ did, but after he heard Red Hood saying that he “called it,” Ted pretty much gave up.

For the most part, everything stayed the same. They were partners, best friends, and no amount of torment from their friends and colleagues would change that. They were still Ted and Booster, Booster and Beetle, Blue and Gold.

All the while, Ted continued wearing the shirts, continued shamelessly stealing one when Booster wasn’t around and wearing them around his apartment.

 

\----------------------------------

 

Him, Sue, Ralph, and Booster were all eating lunch together. The couple were on one side, and Ted and Booster sat on the other. It was all a happy discussion of their meals and general interests until Sue brought up the inevitable.

“So, how long has it been now?”

Booster looked up from his plate, eyebrows drawn together in confusion as he looked across the table. “How long what?”

“Have you two been together?”

Ted groaned. He knew that this was coming. Someday, somewhere, Booster would find out, correct them, and it would all be over.

Instead, Booster surprised everyone yet again with his obliviousness. “We’ve always been together. That’s how partners are. Surely you two know that.”

Of all the wrong things he could’ve said, that had to be top of the list. Ted rested his hand on his friend’s forearm, a plea for his attention. “Booster, that’s not what they’re talking about.”

He appeared confused, looking back and forth between the three of them. Sue clarified, “No, I meant romantically. You two used to always be forcefully in denial.”

Ted watched as several emotions passed Booster’s face: confusion, realization, shock, and then adamant denial.

Ralph spoke up, pausing in the alarmingly quick consumption of his sandwich to say, “It’s okay, dude. Everyone knows. Sue saw Ted in your shirt a few weeks ago outside some grocery store.”

Ted closed his eyes. This was it. This is how he would die. He’s survived bullet wounds, heart attacks, everything you could think of, but this was it. Embarrassment of being caught red-handed with dozens of stolen shirts clenched in his metaphorical (not really) fists. Before this could all blow up in his face, Ted promptly stood up and walked away.

He kept walking, unsure of where to, but just knowing that he needed to get away. He’d have to face this all later, though. Maybe he could sneak into Booster’s apartment and slide all the shirts back into their rightful place before he got home to check? No, he probably already knew. How naive must Ted be to think that he hadn’t of noticed?

Trying not to pay attention to anything around him, Ted kept to his edge of the sidewalk, face down and hands in his pockets, until someone grabbed his arm and broke him from his thoughts.

His first instinct was to defend himself: follow the momentum, twist the arm, pin it back. It wasn’t until he was halfway through that he realized _who_ it was, and felt promptly guilty for attacking his best friend.

“Jesus, Ted! It’s just me!” Booster yelled. Ted let him yank his arm free, then proceed to dramatically brush his clothes, as if he didn’t look perfect already.

Ted sighed and tucked his hands back into his pockets. “Didn’t know, sorry.”

“Yeah, well-” He stopped and sucked a large intake of breath. His expression softened, “Are you upset?”

Ted huffed, “Yeah, no duh.”

“Why? Did I say something?”

Oh, oh god. There’s that heart-wrenching, nauseating guilt. It settled in the pit of Ted’s stomach like a rock. “You did nothing wrong, Boost.”

His expression shifted from kind and concerned to confused. “Then what is it?”

“Seriously?”

Booster shrugged. “You were fine when we sat down.”

“Yes! But that’s before they started _accusing_ us of-”

“Of being together? Teddy, that’s nothing new.”

Ted inhaled sharply. He’s right, that is nothing new. There’s no way to skirt around this, he’d have to come clean. “That was all teasing, first impressions, people just _asking_ if we were. Now, Sue and Ralph think we are, and it’s not just them. Everyone does. And it’s all because I got careless with the shirts.”

“Wait, what? Slow down, explain, please?” Booster seemed confused, brows furrowed and jaw set, which means Ted’s plan of redirecting his attention didn’t work. He’d been hoping his friend would focus on the “people think we are legitimately romantically involved” part instead of the shirt half-confession.

He sighed. Okay, full truth time. He had to do it. Ted _had_ to. “I’ve kinda, sorta been stealing shirts from you for months now.”

Booster’s eyes popped out, “That was _you?”_

“Are you serious? Who do you think it was?”

He shrugged. “Secret admirer.”

“Not entirely false.” Wait, shit, no. Why did he say that? God, how had he even expected this to end? Couldn’t hide dozens of stolen shirts forever.

Booster just stared at him, and for a moment, they weren’t even on the side of the road, repeatedly being shoved around by pedestrians. It was just the two of them, experiencing the most tense stare down ever, each trying to figure out what the other was thinking. Then, Booster grabbed him, one hand on either side of his face, and kissed him.

Ted squealed, but didn’t move. What was going on? Was this real? Someone, please pinch him.

As soon as it began, it ended. Booster pulled away, their eyes met, and Ted dumbfoundedly asked, “What?”

“I kissed you.”

“I repeat: what?” Ted threw his head down into his hands. “Why? Why would you do that?”

“Because I like you,” Booster stated, as if it were all that simple. He tucked both hands into his coat pockets. “And, from what I’ve gathered from the past few minutes, I think you like me.” He seemed pretty confident at first, but with each passing moment of silence, Booster eventually caved and pleaded, “Maybe. Please say something.”

Ted was unable to get his mouth to work, not in the way it needed to be to said, so instead, he kissed his best friend.

This time, it was better. Softer, more deliberate and intimate. It was great, fantastic, everything Ted had ever dreamed it would be. Of course, Booster then ruined it by asking:

“So, does this mean I can get my shirts back?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> later:  
> booster: so whyd you take all my shirts anyways  
> ted: *shrugs* im gay
> 
> ALSO i had to delete a huge chunk of this and there was this REALLY notable quote that i had to take out but couldnt just keep from the world:  
> ted: why are you so thick headed  
> booster: i am, in fact, what the kids call, Thicc
> 
> ALSO Fun fact! The two ads I mentioned in this were REAL. The first one (board in Metropolis' Chinatown) was from DCUO, and the second one (Boostermobile) is [here.](http://www.boosterrific.com/pics/comics/panels/boo111_PRODUCT.jpg)
> 
> also there's this song from judah & the lion called take it all back and it reminds me of Boostle because, well, listen to it and you will see (i also have a really sad boostle playlist that makes me cry everytime i listen to it EVEN THOUGH IM THE ONE WHO MADE IT)
> 
> thats it. if youve read all of this, i am so sorry, but thank you. and thank you for reading my fic!


End file.
